Post-Muckdate: News and Knitting Patterns

I am writing this from Suffolk, sitting on the sofa at my mum’s house whilst the kids are asleep upstairs. After leaving Muck on Friday, we made a short stop at home in Fife to unload and repack the car, before driving a further 400 miles south, and we will be in Suffolk and around family for the next wee while as, sadly, one of my aunts has recently died. Dementia clouded her last few years and so, whilst we grieve for who she was and prepare to celebrate a life well lived, our sadness is tempered with relief that she is now at peace.

On the night before we left Muck, I shared the four knitting patterns I have written during my time on the island with the audience for my ‘Inspired by the Isle of Muck’ talk, and it is with pleasure (and a small amount of trepidation) that I am now launching them into the world. These are my first patterns that haven’t been commissions, so please let me know if anything isn’t quite right with any of them. The patterns are all available from my online shop or on Ravelry as digital downloads which can be printed at home, if desired, on a single double-sided A4 sheet.

Small Isle Snood

This striking but simple design was inspired by the stunning views from Gallanach Bay on the Isle of Muck. The smallest of the Small Isles, the island lies about 10 miles off the west coast Scottish mainland. Gallanach is a north-facing bay that looks towards the neighbouring Small Isles of Rum and Eigg. This snood incorporates stylised silhouettes of the two closest islands, working in intarsia and knitted back and forth before seaming the ends together to create a cosy cowl, perfect for keeping you warm in all but the fiercest west coast winds.

Sizing: short  (long—can be wrapped twice around the neck)

Finished measurements:  around 20 cm in height (or larger if desired).

Yarn: Two contrasting colours of DK weight yarn. Sample shows main colour (MC): Midwinter Yarn Black & Blue in colour Captain’s Coat and contrast colour (CC): The Knitting Goddess 100% BFL in colour Bluebell. You will need approx. 25g each for the short snood and 50g each for the long. If the pattern is bought with the Muck Mitts pattern, both snoods and mitts can be knitted from one 100g skein in each colourway.

Compass Cross Hat

A simple hat pattern which can be knitted flat or in the round, its design features the compass-drawn motif from one of the Isle of Muck’s archaeological treasures, an 8th century Celtic cross, worked into the crown. Sizes are adult Medium and (Large), with the larger size shown in Italicised brackets.

Yarn: 100g Aran-weight yarn (sample shown in Iona Wool Aran, colour ‘Lichen’, 100g = 160m).

Note: Instructions are given to knit flat or in the round. The pattern chart shows the central decrease section in the medium size. For the larger size, please add an additional plain stitch at the start of each row, as shown in written instructions.

Muck Mitts Knitting Pattern

 These DK-weight intarsia mitts feature the iconic outline of the Isle of Muck as the main motif on the back of the hands. The mitts are mostly worked in the round, with the exception of the intarsia section, which is worked back and forth before being re-joined for the top of the mitt. The thumb is  then picked up from the stitches at the edge of the intarsia section and the remaining gap sewn closed. The perfect companion to the Small Isles Snood; both patterns can be made from two 100g skeins of contrasting  colour yarns.

Materials:

Yarn: Two contrasting colours of DK weight yarn, around 25g of each. Sample shows main colour (MC): Midwinter Yarn Black & Blue in colour Captain’s Coat and contrast colour (CC): The Knitting Goddess 100% BFL in colour Bluebell.

Shell Bay Socks

 A straightforward colourwork design for 4-ply/fingering weight yarn that combines the shapes, textures and colours of the Isle of Muck’s beautiful Shell Bay beach.

Materials

• 50g of  4-ply/fingering weight MC yarn (solid or semi-solid)

• 25g of 4-ply/fingering weight CC yarn (variegated)

• 2.75mm DPNs or circular needles (or size required to get gauge).

• 3mm DPNs or circular needles (or size required to get gauge).

• tapestry needle

Yarn: The sample was knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4-ply for the main colour, with various small amounts of leftover Regia 4-ply Sock Yarn for the contrast colour. You can use one contrast colour yarn, or work a mixture of yarns from leftover scraps.

Gauge:

38 sts/10cm in stocking stitch on smaller needles.

Sizes S (M, L, XL). Size Small is roughly equivalent to UK Adult 3-5; Medium is 5.5—7; Large is 7.5—9; Extra Large is 9.5—11.

 And finally - some lovely news!

For those of you who came to my talk to help raise funds to replace Muck’s former fishing boat, The Little Red Boat, I am delighted to report that the island now has a fishing boat once more. The Heather Belle came to her new mooring on the island last week and, although she is a rather fetching shade of green rather than red, I have been assured that this is only a temporary situation and she will assume her fully rosy glory soon. Her owners have the following message to share with you:

‘At long last we are nearly back in business. The Heather Belle has now joined us on the Isle of Muck.
Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported us over the last few months. It's not been easy but we are finally heading in the right direction again.’